


Daughter of Sacrifice

by Morgyn Leri (morgynleri)



Series: Fireside Tales [136]
Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, GFY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2014-05-02
Packaged: 2018-01-21 15:54:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1555859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgynleri/pseuds/Morgyn%20Leri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I do not fear death, for death comes to us all. I fear the manner of it, but I shall not let fear breed cowardice. Nor shall I allow another to dictate what I must do, but offer up myself for the good of my people, who should suffer nothing for the pride of my mother."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Daughter of Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> Andromeda and monster  
> Prompt: Escape  
> Alternate Universe: NOS

Her parents would have her believe that she must be sacrificed for their sins, for her mother's beauty and boasts. They tell her there is a monster behind the floods, and it will wish to consume her, and thus leave the land alone. She is furious, but she bows to their will - no one in the land will shelter her if she flees - save that they would chain her there.

"I will face my fate as a free woman, not as some slave sacrificed for her masters." She stares at her father until he sets aside the chains, then turns to face the sea. Stripping herself of her jewelry and her finery until she stands free of all the trappings of the princess she is, only her hair to hide any part of her.

If her father or any feel shame for her nakedness, it is their shame for the boasts and arrogance in the face of the gods that has brought this about.

They leave before the sun rises, leaving her with a single torch to beat away the darkness as she waits for the sun and the beast that is to be her doom.

"Do you not fear your fate, child of the land?" The voice comes with the first gray light that precedes the sun, and she blinks, looking for the source, but seeing nothing. The gods, or the beast, it does not matter who might have spoken, save it is no one of the land, and thus one she must answer.

"I do not fear death, for death comes to us all." She draws herself straight and proud, throwing back shoulders that curve soft with flesh, lifting her chin to bare her throat as she spreads her hands at her sides. Vulnerable and offering. "I fear the manner of it, but I shall not let fear breed cowardice. Nor shall I allow another to dictate what I must do, but offer up myself for the good of my people, who should suffer nothing for the pride of my mother."

A chuckle meets her bravery, but there is no derision in the sound, and it is followed by the ripple of water. "Did they tell you that I would consume you?"

The instrument of her fate, then, and she draws a deep breath, trying to push away the trembling that is beginning in her limbs. She will not run, she will not fall in a heap. "Did the oracle not speak true?"

"Oracles always speak truth, but not all can understand the truth they speak." There's another ripple of water, and a shadow rises from the water, between her and the horizon where the sun will rise from the oceans. "You believe I will be your death, will rend your flesh and swallow you down."

She looks up and up at the rising serpent - for what but a serpent might rise so high with no limb to be seen? - and stiffens her knees and forces herself to keep her shoulders back. No cowering before her fate. "What do you wish of me, if not to consume my flesh?"

Laughter once again meets her words, amused and almost cheerful. "You are a brave one, daughter of the land." The shadow comes down once more, swiftly, until she is staring at a single eye that gleams with intelligence. "And perhaps wiser than those who told you this must be done."

There is a long moment of quiet, but she does not speak, for what can she say to this creature who holds her life in balance?

After a moment, it lets out a breath that swirls around her, warm and wet, and says, "Chose your fate, child of pride and fear. Give yourself to your fear, or come to meet a different end."

It draws back, watching her as she tries to puzzle through the creature's words. Her fear screams for her to run, though it would do her no favors to flee. There is no escape in flight now, if ever there had been. Drawing in a deep breath, she looks at the land in front of her. The rocks that drop off in cliffs to the sea, where they would have chained her to be fed to the creature.

_Come to meet a different end._

She lifts her gaze to meet that of the creature, her lips curving in a smile as she makes herself take a step forward. One after another, until the land crumbles beneath her, and she is falling toward the crashing waves.

Waves she never meets, feeling the slide of smooth skin and the give of warm flesh as she is caught, and coiled. Water surrounds her soon after, invading her mouth and nose and ears, choking her and making her struggle to reach the surface. She is not released, and after a long moment, opens her mouth in a desperate gasp for air, cold water flooding into her instead.

_Peace, daughter of sacrifice. I am here._

There is skin against hers, warmth supporting and surrounding her as she tries to relax, even as she feels as if fire and lightning have invaded her with the water, spreading along every part of her. She cannot think beyond it, cannot imagine what must exist beyond pain and the warm support of another.

The pain leaves, and the fear of drowning, and slowly she can begin to think again. To revel in the change the fire and lightning and water have wrought, sinew and muscle strong beneath smooth skin that is thicker than the flesh she had worn before. A body that coils and moves with ease through the water, powerful and limitless.

Another swims with her, husband to her now by right of might, and she coils about him in joy. Her mother and father may mourn her, think her eaten by the creature of the sea, but let them believe as they will, for she has a gift that she could not have imagined - an escape from the prison she had never thought her land-bound body to be, before.

**Author's Note:**

> Of course, in the original myth, Perseus shows up and rescues a chained Andromeda from the monster. I am rather a bit more of a fan of the damsel in trouble rescues herself idea, and also the monster-isn't-always-a-monster idea. I'm pretty sure that Andromeda isn't the first girl who's been offered up to this monster, and he's not terribly interested in children who are afraid of him and run from him (or would, if allowed). So, a sacrifice waiting for him that isn't chained, isn't running, and while admitting her fear, isn't letting it rule her? Far more interesting, and worth keeping around.
> 
> As for Perseus, well. Dunno what happens to him, and I'm not worried about it.


End file.
